Off to Paradise – Mt. Rainier, Waterfalls and Blackberry Pie!

Posted on May 17, 2019 by

18 Comments

On the hottest day of the year we took a drive to our favorite local attraction – the big mountain two hours south!

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky as we drove the back roads to Paradise, the mountain calling us all the way there.

As we entered the park the trees got bigger and we rolled down the windows to let the fragrance in, calming and delicious.

As we wound our way to the top, we stopped by Narada Falls, which tumbled from above, under the bridge and far below us.

There was a lot of snow on the trail to the lower viewpoint and we weren’t equipped for that – though some were and you can see them near the bottom.

We continued up, enjoying views of the jagged peaks of the Tatoosh Range along the way.

A short while later we arrived at the Paradise Visitor Center where we had close up views of the mountain. From here hikers can head up to Camp Muir where mountain climbers spend the night before making the technical climb to the summit. (Not us.)

After lunch and a few pictures we headed back down the mountain. We passed by the road to Reflection Lakes – still closed – but here’s a picture from our trip last year just so you know.

We continued on down the scenic highway stopping for more waterfalls – Comet Falls on one side

Christine Falls on the other.

It was a wonderful day on the mountain made even better with a stop by Copper Creek Lodge just outside the park, built in 1919 and famous for its blackberry pie. I don’t normally take pictures of my food (honest) but I really had to show you this. It tasted every bit as good as it looks!

Is your mouth watering? 🙂

~ Susanne

Category: National Parks, TravelTags: , , , , ,

18 Comments on “Off to Paradise – Mt. Rainier, Waterfalls and Blackberry Pie!”

  1. What a lovely place, Susanne. Though I never need to see snow of course. 🙂
    I would prefer a Pecan Pie, as that is hard to find over here. My Mum made blackberry pie all the time, and it is very tasty. (She used to pick the blackberries herself from nearby bushes) But we never had ice cream with it, always custard.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    • Thanks Pete. I like pecan pie too but I prefer berry pie over any other and this one was the best! Maybe a close second to the one your Mum used to make! 😊🥧

  2. Hi Susanne,
    I have done that same loop drive and stopped at the same points of interest, I missed copper creek lodge and a slice of blackberry pie. I just love how you process thru your pictures and tell a story. I remember it being an all day trip and even though we went during a week day Paradise Lodge was packed and parking scarce. Had to wait for a spot. The Tatoosh Range is jaw-dropping to see. Thank you for always uplifting and inspiring us to get out and enjoy the wonders of the Pacific Northwest.

    • Thank you so much for your comment. I really appreciate it! 😊 There’s so much beauty in the Pacific Northwest I am happy to share it! Paradise is the most popular spot in the national park so it can get crowded. During the busy summer months I prefer Sunrise, which also has tremendous views and wonderful hiking. We also like camping on that side of the mountain and hope to do some of that soon!

  3. Lovely set of photos. It’s been an age since I was last there and so this was a nice reminder of that time.

  4. When we had a beach cabin at Cannon Beach there was a huge blackberry bush/vine tangle full of wonderful berries. Never took the time to make a pie, however. Just ate them standing there.

    • Thanks so much John! I’m lucky to be so close to that beautiful mountain! Makes for lots of fun day trips and camping trips too! 🙂

  6. Great post and fantastic photos, Mount Rainier looks and sounds like an amazing place to explore, would love to visit one day 😀

  7. So much snow on the “hottest day of the year”, haha! Just one of the thousand things that makes Mt. Rainier so special, and my favorite National Park so far. Ok, well maybe tied with Capitol Reef, but that’s like comparing apples to oranges.

    We didn’t get to the Paradise section of the park though. Next time!

    • Mt Rainier is awesome any time of year! Every section of the park has a different angle and view of that marvelous mountain. And the old growth forest is wonderful!

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